Apparatus for winding yarn



y 3, 1954 B. MITCHELL 2,683,571

APPARATUS FOR WINDING YARN Filed Feb. 15, 1950 5 SheetsSheet 1 2 2 J J, f L

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ATTORNEY B. MITCHELL APPARATUS FOR WINDING YARN July 13, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 15, 1950 INVENTOR Bar/y Mile/1e. M46 wfl y ATTORNEY y 3, 1954 B. MITCHELL APPARATUS FOR WINDING YARN 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 15. 1950 4I l-IIIlllll! INVENTOR Bar/:9 M/l'cire/L ATTORNEY y 3, 1954 B. MITCHELL APPARATUS FOR WINDING YARN 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Feb. 15, 1950 INVENTOR flew/y M/Zcbe/l.

BY A! @512 EGO- 50 ATTORNEY B. MITCHELL 2,683,571

APPARATUS FOR WINDING YARN July 13, 1954 Filed Feb. 15, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 fir; 20.

INVENTOR 57 Early M/tc/re/fi ATTORNEY Patented July 13, 1954 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE AlPPARATUS FOR WINDING YARN Application February 15, 1950, Serial No. 144,276

6 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for winding natural or synthetic yarn. More particularly this invention relates to a device for retaining a flexible and elastic outer covering over a rayon yarn spool or bobbin by holding the ends of the covering in the inside of the end portions of the spool or bobbin.

An object of this invention is to provide a flexible device adapted to fit into the ends of a substantially rigid cylinder adapted to be used as a yarn spool or bobbin, for holding the ends of the flexible outer covering so as to hold said covering stretched over the outside of said cylinder.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device for holding the ends of a flexible outer covering for a yarn spool or bobbin tucked into the ends of the cylinder of the spool or bobbin in such a way that the ends of the flexible covering may be manually released from the ends of the cylinder.

A iurther object of this invention is to provide a simple flexible member for each end of a rayon take-up spool for the purpose of holding the ends of the sock drawn over the spool when a rayon cake is being wound on the spool and for manuaily releasing the ends of the sock after the rayon cake is wound on the spool so that the sock may be drawn over the outside of the rayon cake to protect the cake during wet treatment.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a device consisting of a flexible disc with a plurality of radially extending fingers adapted to engage the inside of a cylindrical spool for the purpose or" holding the ends of a tubular wrapper or sock for said spool on the inside of said spool during the winding of rayon thread over said wrapper and said spool.

Other and further objects of this invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which it relates from the following specification, claims and drawing.

In accordance with this invention there is provided a simple and convenient device that is adapted to fit in each end of the cylindrical spool or bobbin for the purpose of holding the end portions of the spool or bobbin wrapper or covering inside of the spool or bobbin during the winding of rayon yarn or thread over the wrapper and the spool or bobbin.

In the production of rayon it is often desirable to wet process the cake of yarn spun by the spool or bobbin system. During this process it is usually necessary to protect the yarn cakes by means of a fabric sock or wrapper that covers the cake completely on all sides including the outside, inside and both ends. The yarn cakes which are not self supporting must be wrapped while they are still on the cylindrical spool or bobbin and this may be done by winding the yarn or thread over the sock or wrapper that is snugly fitted to the outside cylindrical surface of the spool or bobbin. The present invention provides a convenient means for holding the ends of this wrapper securely inside of the spool or bobbin in such a manner that the Wrapper is stretched in a tight and wrinkle free fashion over the outside of the spool or bobbin during the winding of the yarn on the spool or bobbin. After the yarn is wound on the spool or bobbin so asto form a cake of the desired size the ends of the wrapper are manually released from the inside of the spool or bobbin and pulled over the outside of the finished cake so as to cover the;

ends and outside of the cake completely. The cake and wrapper are then removed from the spool or bobbin for further processing in the wet treatment.

Further details of this invention are set forth in the following specification, claims and drawing. s

Referring to the drawing briefly:

Fig. 1 is a side view of a spool with the wrapper retaining device of this invention mounted near each end;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 showing the ends of the fingers of the wrapper retaining device extending out of the cylindrical portion of the spool;

Fig. 3 is a side view of the bobbin with the flexible sock or wrapper stretched over the outside cylindrical surface thereof and with the ends of the sock or wrapper tucked into the ends of the cylindrical portion of the bobbin and held therein by the fingers of the'retaining devices;

Fig. 4 is an end view of the device shown in Fig.

Fig. 5 is a view of a tool employed for the pur-- pose of stuffing the end of a wrapper into the hollow end of the cylindrical portion of a bobbin;

Fig. 8 is a view of the wrapped rayon cake after it has been removed from the bobbin;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view show 7 Fig. 9 is an end view of a bobbin with a modified form of wrapper retaining device;

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary end view of the bobbin shown in Fig. 9, the sectioned portion of Fig. 10 being taken along the line of I0--I0 of Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is a view in partial section of a modified form of retaining device applied to a sub stantially rigid cylinder for holding a wrapper thereon;

Fig. 12 is an end view of the device shown in Fig. 11; I

Fig. 13 is a plan view of the flexible retaining member with the leaders attached to the ends of the fingers;

Fig. 14 is a view showing the fingers of the retaining device being inserted into. the holes formed in the barrel portion of the bobbin;

Fig. 15 is a sectional view of the tool for inserting the fingers of the flexible retaining member into holes formed in the barrel of the bobbin;

Fig. 16 is a sectional view taken along the line I6I6 of Fig. 15;

Fig. 17 is a sectional view along the line II-I1 Fig. 20 is a sectional view of the tool shown in Fig. 15 showing the flexible retaining member held on one end of the tool and positioned in the central hole of the bobbin with the leaders of the fingers of the flexible retaining member extending into the radial holes formed in the barrel of the bobbin; 7 Y

Fig. 21 is a sectional view along the line 2 I--2I of Fig. 20 and Fig. 22 is a sectional view along the line 22-22 of Fig. 20.

Referring to the drawing'in detail there is shown in Figs. 1 and 2 a bobbin provided with a central barrel member ID projecting from each end of the bobbin cylinder II and connected thereto in a conventional manner. The portions of the barrel member ID projecting beyond the ends of the cylinder II are provided with a plurality of radially disposed holes I2 as shown in the sectional view of Fig. 2, for receiving the radiating fingers of the flexible retaining device i3 which is made of sheet rubber or similar material of the desired resilience including flexible sheet metal. Two of these flexible retaining members are provided for each bobbin as shown in Fig. 1 and each member is made with a ringshaped central portion which is provided with a hole of suitable diameter to fit on the end of a peg designed for holdingthe entire bobbin during transportation. Radiating from the ringshaped member are the fingers I4 each ofwhich is provided with portions I5 that are relatively wider than the diameter of the holes-I2. Narrower portions I6 of the fingers I4 connect the wider portions I 5 to the central ring member and these narrower portions I6 are substantially smaller than the diameters of the holes I-2 so that these portions fit loosely into these holes. The narrower portions I6 are normally lodged in the holes I2. I Y

The flexible retaining member I3 is made of an overall diameter slightly greater than the diameter of the outside of the cylinder II as shown in Fig. 2 so that the ends of the retaining member fingers I4 apply slightpressure to the inside of the cylinder II when the end of these.

4 cylinder II for the purpose of holding the sock or wrapper I? stretched over the outside of this cylinder as shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

When the sock or wrapper I1 is to be stretched over the outside of the cylinder II it is first drawn over the outside of the cylinder and assumes a more or less rufiled or irregular shape as shown in Fig. 5. At the same time the ends of the fingers I4 may be resting either on the edges of the ends of the cylinder II or they may be pressed into the inside of the cylinder into engagement with inner surfaces of the cylinder. With the bobbin standing up on one of its ends as shown in Fig. 5, one end of the sock or wrapper I1 is gathered around the top edge of the cylinder I I ready to be pressed into the inside of the cylinder by means of the stuffing tool I8 which consists of a cup-shaped body member having an outside diameter somewhat smaller than the inside diameter of the cylinder II and also having a handle I9. With the top of the tubular wrapper or sock I! gathered up over the inside top edge of the cylinder II, the operator takes the stufiing tool I8 by the handle I9 and brings the lip of the cup-shaped member down over the collected end of the tubular wrapper or sock I1 and forces the lip of this tool and the gathered wrapper or sock into the inside of the cylinder II. Since the fingers I4 of the retainingdevice I3 are of flexible material they are bent inward into the cylinder I I and permit the fabric of the wrapper I! to be pressed into the cylinder. However, the fingers I4 of the retaining member I3 are made of suificient strength so that when the stufling tool I8 is withdrawn from the cylinder the ends of the fingers I4 press the fabric of the wrapper I'I against the inside of the cylinder I I. Both ends of the tubular wrapper or sock H are stufied into the cylinder II using the tool I8.

Furthermore, because the holes I2 through which the fingers I4 of. the retaining member I3 are threaded, are positioned just outside of the inside of the cylinder II, the fingers I4 assume an arched configuration applying pressure in a direction such that these fingers tend to maintain the wrapper I! in stretched form over the outside of the cylinder II as shown in Fig. 3. This is especially true when both ends of the wrapper or sock I! are stuffed into the cylinder I I.

After the rayon yarn is wound on the stretched wrapper I? of the bobbin to form a cake of the desired size; the ends of the fingers I4 may be caused to disengage the wrapper inside of the cylinder II by manually pressing the center of the retaining device I3 as shown in Fig. 6. The ends of the wrapper Il may then be withdrawn from the inside of the cylinder II without diflioulty and the end portions of the wrapper I! .are then pulled over the outside of the rayon yarn to completely cover the yarn as shown in Fig. '7. The completely wrapped rayon cake is then removed from the cylinder II because this cylinder is slightly tapered from one end to the Mother and the cake then collapses into a shape .-.-consists of a flexible retaining member 28 having a ring-shaped body portion provided with a hole of such size. that the flexible retaining member may be stretched over the end of'the bobbin barrel 2i to be lodged in the groove 22 thatiis U I .wicut into the outside. ofthis barrel substantially fingers I4 are pressed into the inside of the in line with the 'end of the' slightly tapered cylinder 23 of the bobbin. When the ends of the tubular wrapper or sock 24 are pressed into the.

inside of the cylinder 23 with the stuffing tool 18 shown in Fig. 5 the relatively blunt fingers 25 grip the fabric of the wrapper 24 against inside surfaces of the cylinder 23 and hold the wrapper 2d stretched over the outside of the end of the cylinder 23. For this purpose the overall diameter of the retaining device 20 is made somewhat greater than the inside diameter of the cylinder 23 so that the retaining device 20 becomes slightly arched or curved when the end of the tubular wrapper is stuffed past the retaining device into the inside of the cylinder and the retaining device fingers are released by the stuffing device to grip the wrapper. When it is desired to release the ends of the wrapper held by the modified retaining device shown in Figs. 9 and 10, that is, when rayon yarn has been wound on the wrapped cylinder, and it is desired to cover the outside of the yarn with the end portions of the wrapper, the operator must bend the retaining device as out of the inside of the cylinder 23. For this purpose the operator simply sticks his fingers into the openings provided between the retaining device fingers 25 and bends the flexible retaining device outward.

The modified form of this retaining device shown in Figs. 11 and 12 consists of a flexible member 3! positioned in each end of the cylinder 3: to hold the wrapper 32 stretched over the outside of the cylinder. In this case the retaining devices 35 are each provided with a relatively large body member with radially extending short and blunt fingers 33. The overall diameter of the retaining device 38 including the fingers 33 is made somewhat greater than the outside diameter or the cylinder 31 so that when the retaining device 38 is inserted into the end of the wrapped cylinder both the body and the fingers of this retaining device assume a bowed configuration as shown in Fig. 11, for the purpose of exerting slight pressure against the inside of the cylinder 3i. This bowed configuration is such as to oppose the withdrawal of the wrapper from the inside of the cylinder. Furthermore this same configuration is useful for stretching the wrapper 32 over the outside of the cylinder 3!. When it is desired to pull the ends of the wrapper from the inside of the cylinder the operator may remove the retaining device 39 by inserting a finger in the hole 34 of the device and withdrawing the device from the cylinder.

In Fig. 13 there is illustrated a plan view of the retaining device it! such as is employed in the bobbin shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 and '7. This retaining device i3 is provided with leaders Ma attached to the ends of the fingers M to facilitate inserting these fingers into the holes 12 formed in the barrel ill of the bobbin. One method of inserting these fingers 14 into the holes i2 is illustrated in Fig. 14 in which the retaining device it is folded and the fingers Hi are partially inserted into the axial hole of the barrel so that the leaders Ma extend across the inside openings of the holes [2. Thereafter a hook 52a is inserted into one of the holes $2 from the outside and the corresponding leader Ma is caught by the hook H0. and pulled through the hole 12. For this purpose the leaders Ma are made of relatively small cross section so that they may be easily pulled through these holes. After all of the leaders [4a are pulled through the holes l2 the operator grips these leaders individually and pulls the fingers I4 until the narrow portions thereof. are lodged in the holes as shown in Fig. 2. He. then takes a pair of shears and removes the leaders I ia from the fingers i i.

In Fig. 15 there is shown a tool that facilitates the placing of the retaining devices shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 and 7, into the holes l2 provided therefore as previously described. The advantage of this tool is that it saves a great deal of time in inserting these retaining devices. This tool is provided with a slotted or grooved cylinder 40 that fits into the axial hole of the bobbin barrel H). A plurality of slots or grooves ii corresponding to the holes i2 formed in the barrel iii are cut into this cylinder ti and these slots or grooves are open through approximately half the length of the cylinder Ail, the inside ends of these slots terminating in arcuate guide surfaces tZ that are carried by the fillers i3 and the purpose of which will be explained in greater detail in connection with Fig. 20. The fillers 53 are formed integral with the flange 5t and this structure is keyed to the cylinder it by pins 44. A handle is attached to one end of the cylinder 4!). A slotted tubular member 45 or substantially smaller diameter than the aforesaid cylinder 40 is positioned inside of the cylinder it and is axially moveable with respect to the latter. An inwardly extending flange i"! is provided at one end of thecylinder G0 to function as a bearing for the tubular member G6. Slots t8 are cut into the tubular member 46 and these slots extend longitudinally throughout a substantial length of the tubular member 56 to permit expansion of the slotted part of this member it particularly the head portion 49 which is provided with agroove 50 that is adapted to be expanded into and engage the central hole of the flexible retaining device H; as shown in Fig. 20. After the flexible retaining device i3 is placed on the head it the expander cone 5% is drawn into the head 49 of the slotted tubular member Why the rod 52 and the small handle 53 attached thereto by the pin 54. A portion of the handle 53 is positioned in a slot formed in the rod 52 and after this rod 52 is drawn into the slotted tubular member 45 until the expander 5! is inserted on the head 49 as shown in Fig. 20 the end 55 of the handle and latch device 53 is released from the tubular member 56 and latches on the end of the latter member as shown in Fig. 20. In this way the head 49 is held expanded and holds the flexible retaining device l3 positioned thereon. The tool with the flexible retaining device 13 positioned thereon is now ready to be insertedinto the axial hole of the barrel W and for this purpose the fingers it of the flexible retaining device [3 must be folded over and into the slots ii of the cylinder it. When the 'tool and the expanded flexible retaining device l3 are inserted into the axial hole of the barrel l0 until the flange 56 that is attached to the handle end of the cylinder 49 abuts the end of the barrel ill, the tool is in position to guide the leaders 4a of the fingers I l of the flexible retaining device 13 into the holes 12 formed in the barrel L0. This is done when the operator grips-the handles 45 and 57?, the hand portions of which are rounded as shown in Fig. 22, and pulls the hand portion of the handle 5? towards the hand portion of the handle 5. The handle 51 is slidably-attached to the handle :35 by the rivets 58 which are fixed to the handle 5? and slide in the slots 59 cut into the sides of the handle 45. The handle 51 is attached to the tubular member 46 and moves this tubular member 45 with respect to the cylinder 40 thereby forcing the fingers l4 and the leaders I4a to move in the slots 4! of the cylinder 40 so that the leaders [4a are guided by the curved slide surfaces 42 into the holes l2 of the barrel l0. For this purpose these curved slide surfaces 42 are made to lead these slots 4| toward the holes [2 as shown in Fig. 20. The leaders I4a are thus guided into the holes I2. The fingers I4 are guided into these holes by the leaders lfla when the tool is pulled out of the axial hole of the barrel I0. When the tool is pulled out so that the head 49 is opposite the holes [2 the latch 55 of the handle 53 may be released to permit the head 49 to contract and release the flexible retaining device i3 since this device is now in the desired position. The leaders Ma then may be cut on from the fingers l4 and the flexible retainin device I3 is ready for use to retain the wrapper or sock stretched over the cylinder II.

This invention is susceptible of various modifications end it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact details shown and described except in so far as those details may be set forth in the claims. Although the invention has been specifically described in connection with the winding of rayon yarn, it is, of course, to be understood that any other cellulosic or noncellulosic yarn may be wound in accordance with this invention.

What I claim is:

1. A covered bobbin for winding yarn or the like comprising a substantially rigid cylindrical member, a co-axial member positioned in said cylindrical member and projecting out beyond the ends of said cylindrical member, said co-axial member being hollow and being adapted to be positioned on a rotatable shaft, a flexible covering for the outside of said cylindrical member, the ends of said flexible covering being tucked into the hollow ends of said cylindrical member, and a flexible retaining device supported in holes formed in the ends of said co-axial member, said flexible retaining device having fingers projecting out of said holes, said fingers of said flexible retaining device being adapted to press surfaces of said flexible covering against inside surfaces of said cylindrical member to hold said flexible covering stretched over the outside of said cylindrical member.

2. A covered bobbin for Winding yarn or the like comprising a substantially rigid cylindrical member, a oo-axial member positioned in said cylindrical member, a flexible covering for the outside of said cylindrical member, the ends of said flexible covering being tucked into the hollow ends of said cylindrical member, and a flexible retaining device supported in holes formed in the ends of said co-axial member, said flexible retaining device having fingers the ends of which are adapted to press surfaces of said flexible covering against inside surfaces of said cylindrical member to hold said flexible covering stretched over the outside of said cylindrical member.

3. A covered bobbin for winding yarn or the like comprising a substantially rigid cylindrical member, a coaxial member positioned in said cylindrical member and projecting out beyond the ends of said cylindrical member, a flexible covering for the outside of said cylindrical memher, the ends of said flexible covering being tucked into the hollow ends of said cylindrical member, and a flexible retaining device having radially disposed fingers supported in radially extending holes formed in the ends of said coaxial member projecting out of said cylindrical member, the ends of said fingers being adapted to press surfaces of said flexible covering against inside surfaces of said cylindrical member to hold said flexible covering stretched over the outside of said cylindrical member.

4. A device for winding yarn comprising a substantially rigid cylindrical bobbin having hollow ends, a flexible covering for the outside cylindrical surface of said bobbin, a pair of flexible retaining devices, one for each end of said bobbin, means for holding said flexible retaining devices in the correspondings ends of said bobbin, each of said flexible retaining devices having fingers around the periphery thereof, said fingers being sufliciently flexible and of sufficient length so that they may be temporarily pushed aside while said retaining devices are held by said means to permit stuffing of the ends of said covering into the hollow ends of said bobbin and to thereafter spring against said covering stuffed into said bobbin to dig into and grip said covering to hold said covering stretched over said cylindrical surface substantially free of wrinkles.

5. A device for winding yarn comprising a substantially rigid cylindrical bobbin having hollow ends, a flexible covering for the outside cylindrical surface of said bobbin, a pair of flexible retaining devices, one of said devices for each end of said bobbin, means connected to said bobbin for supporting said flexible retaining devices in correspondings ends of said bobbin, said flexible retaining device having the peripheral portions thereof of sufficient flexibility so that they may be temporarily pushed aside while said retaining devices are supported by said means to permit the stuffing of the ends of said covering into the hollow ends of said bobbin and to thereafter spring against said covering stuffed into said bobbin to dig into and grip said covering to hold said coveringstretchecl over said cylindrical surface substantially free of wrinkles.

6. A device for winding yarn comprising a substantially rigid cylindrical bobbin having hollow ends, a flexible covering for the outside cylindrical surface of said bobbin, a pair of flexible retaining devices, one of said devices positioned in each end of said bobbin, means for holding said flexible retaining devices in the correspondin ends of said bobbin, each of said retaining devices comprising a member positioned substantially at right angles to the axis of said bobbin, the peripheral portions of said member being highly resilient and extending from said member to engage the portion of said flexible covering tucked into the hollow ends of said bobbin and to press said portions of said flexible covering against inside surfaces of said bobbin, said peripheral portions being bent inward into the hollow ends of said bobbin so that the free edges thereof dig into said flexible covering contacted thereby and so that increased tension of said flexible covering extending over the outside of said bobbin increases the firmness of the aforesaid contact of said peripheral portions with said flexible covering.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,706,826 Steiger Mar. 26, 1929 2,002,481 Gordon May 21, 1935 2,045,433 Wood June 23, 1936 2,232,542 Lewis Feb. 18, 1941 

